MLB Player News

Solis signed a minor-league contract with the Padres on Monday, Robert Murray of The Athletic reports.

Solis didn't spend a long time unemployed after being released by the Nationals on Saturday. He joins a team with a deep bullpen, though the Padres' left-handed relievers are thin with Brad Wieck battling cancer and Jose Castillo out at least two months with a flexor strain. Solis could win a job as the Padres' second lefty along with Aaron Loup.

Kershaw (shoulder) threw a 20-pitch, all-fastball bullpen session Monday, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports.

The session was Kershaw's first off a mound since February 20, the date on which his frustration with the state of his arm first appeared. He remains without any serious injury, and manager Dave Roberts believes he can be ready to go by Opening Day, but he'll have to stretch out quite a bit and work in his other pitches before that becomes a possibility. Kershaw was pleased with the session, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports, though he didn't give any clear indication about his readiness for the start of the regular season.

Buehler will face hitters again Wednesday, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Buehler has yet to make a Cactus League appearance this spring, but the Dodgers apparently feel comfortable with him getting his work done in simulated games. The team hasn't given any indication of when or if he'll face hitters on an opposing team this spring, but there also doesn't seem to be any fear that he won't be ready by Opening Day.

Sampson was sent to minor-league camp Monday.

Sampson received an invitation to big-league camp as part of his minor-league deal back in January, but his stay on the major-league side was fairly brief. He'll likely open the year with Triple-A Sacramento and wait for an injury to open up a roster spot in the big leagues.

Jorge (triceps) was sent to minor-league camp on Monday, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Jorge spent 2018 rehabbing from a triceps injury and hasn't thrown a pitch in a game this spring. He was invited to big-league camp when he signed his minor-league deal with the Reds in January but was never likely to break camp with the team.

Gomber allowed five earned runs on six hits and two walks over 2.1 innings in a 9-1 Grapefruit League loss to the Mets on Sunday. He also recorded a strikeout.

The young left-hander endured a rough first spring start, giving up another pair of home runs to bring his total allowed to five over his first three appearances. Gomber is considered a candidate for either the starting rotation or bullpen, but in throwing just 33 of 63 pitches for strikes Sunday, he saw his ERA and WHIP rise to 10.29 and 2.00, respectively, over seven spring frames. The 25-year-old was solid last season during his initial big-league cup of coffee, recording five total wins in August alone and finishing with a 6-2 mark across 29 appearances (11 starts). Clark Spencer of MLB.com reports that manager Mike Shildt did not provide any indication of whether Gomber would get another starting opportunity during what remains of spring, but the young southpaw feels that most of his struggles stem from self-inflicted pressure. "I think coming into camp this year, I probably put a little bit too much pressure on myself to try to make the team," Gomber said. "When you're coming as a young guy, it's kind of a pressure-free environment. This is the first time I've ever come to Spring Training with a chance to make the team. I think I fell into a little bit of that trap."

Matz covered four scoreless frames in Sunday's 9-1 Grapefruit League win over the Cardinals, conceding three hits and one walk while striking out two.

With a 5.19 ERA and 1.62 WHIP across 8.2 innings in his three outings, Matz hasn't been impressive on the whole, but Sunday's start marked a step in the right direction. So long as the lefty escapes the spring healthy and with his velocity sitting at its usual levels, Matz should be an effective back-end rotation arm for the Mets and a worthy late-round flier for fantasy purposes.

Eickhoff (wrist) will make his spring debut Monday against the Rays, Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic reports.

He has been dealing with a wrist injury in camp, but completed a simulated game last week and is ready to make his spring debut. Eickhoff is competing for a rotation spot, but seems likely to be the odd man out to start the season. However, even if he starts the year at Triple-A, he could spend most of the year in the majors if he pitches well in 2019.

Teheran has the inside track to be the Braves' Opening Day stater, Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

With Mike Foltynewicz (elbow) ruled out for Opening Day in Philadelphia, the Braves lack a traditional high-end option for the first game of the season, as everyone else is either injured, a rookie or coming off a middling season, like Teheran. However, it sounds like that honor will be given to Teheran based on seniority.

Kelly allowed two walks while striking out four over four hitless, scoreless innings Sunday against the Reds.

This was by far Kelly's best effort of the spring after he allowed six runs (five earned) over two innings in his first two appearances. "I thought he was a lot more aggressive in the zone," Diamondbacks pitching coach Mike Butcher told Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. "That's the bottom line. He was attacking better this outing. I think he got his feet underneath him and started to exhale." This should be an outing that the right-hander can build on going forward. The Diamondbacks liked what they saw out of Kelly in Korea, where he's been a starter the last four years, and inked him for two years while committing a spot in the rotation to him.